The Farthest Legion

The Dagger

My mistress calls me, "little hornet."

When she first married my master, she called me, "You, Greek."

"You, Greek, fetch the wine."

"You, Greek, stoke the fire."

There was one evening when she asked me, "Can you fight, Greek?"

"I was not always a slave, mistress, but I am old now and feeble." My father taught me to use a sword and staff when I was a boy.

Feint. Block. Strike. Again.

"I have seen you run and jump, Greek. You are not feeble." Panthia may have been a the wife of an eques, of a centurion, but she was also a barbarian princess, her arms were sturdy as a boxer's, and she could cast a spear as far as most legionnaires. She drew a wicked stabbing dagger from a sheath hidden beneath the mass of hair at the back her neck.

"Mistress, I--"

She lunged.

The dagger tore my tunic and licked a red scratch across my stomach as I dove past her to the floor. My dodge took me outside her reach on the weak side of her weapon hand.

She crouched and turned with me, and I continued my roll until I faced her. I also crouched, my sash loose in my left hand, ready to snag her weapon. Her teeth shined as brightly as her eyes for a moment, and I saw that she had killed before. I expected to die, either on her blade or on a cross for assaulting my mistress, but she stood and laughed. She tossed the dagger to me hilt first.

"You spend more time at my husband's side than I do. Carry that sting and guard him well, little hornet."

I had that same dagger with me when I woke my master after the first watch to relieve Sabinus at roadwork.

He yawned mightily and rubbed his eyes as I helped him into his armor. "When morning comes, find Tubero and make another meeting for me with Flaccus. I am tired of these games he's playing with Drutmund." He did not bother to whisper, instead he raised his voice to be heard over beautiful Panthia's mighty snores.

He left me at the villa, and I took this as permission to sleep. My master continued on alone to relive Sabinus. An armed centurion walking in a well guarded legion camp had no need of a bodyguard.

So I would have thought at the time, had I considered it at all.